Paul refused to go because he knew his rights as a Roman citizen and knew that their treatment of him was unjust. with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much _ (G1096) O taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. This was a big step, perhaps bigger than Paul even knew. The content of the joint AAR/SBL annual meetings, which attract upwards of 11,000 attendees, is very revealing. The encounter with the spirit of divination: Coming to Derbe and Lystra, where he and Barnabas had been persecuted David Guzik commentary on Acts 1 describes the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the appointing of Matthias as a replacement for Judas. God still calls people to the mission field, and He may call through unusual ways. As Paul saw it, being a good Christian did not mean being a bad Jew. (Longenecker) The wording of Acts 16:3 implies that Paul himself performed the circumcision (he took him and circumcised him). Later, there was a church in Thyatira also, and it was one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation (Revelation 2:18-29). If we add the article , see critical note: to the place of Just because God is the omnipotent Creator does not mean that He will spare you from intense trials. SEPARATOR CAPACITY, 5,000 LB. Acts 16:12 If they couldnt do it within three minutes, they werent fit for the chaplains service. We see another reason why the Spirit did not permit them to go into Bithynia. Our Christianity should make others want what we have with God. And immediately he and all his family were baptized: The jailer and his family saw no reason to delay baptism; they were baptized that very night, and all this began around midnight (Acts 16:25). part. It was based on their knowledge of a good and sovereign God. This led Theodore Olson, a leading critic of the Supreme Court, to suggest that the students should dance nude before their football games, since the court prefers naked dancing to prayer as a form of expression (Kathleen Parker, The Washington Times [9/11/00], p. A12)! So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Character of God, Faith, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. _Then came he to Lystra,_ as in Acts 14:6. There was great indignation that Roman citizens should be molested by strolling peddlers of an outlandish religion. I am using the wording of 1 Peter 4:19, which is one of two times in the New Testament God is called the Creator (Rom. Maybe your mate or a family member treats you with contempt because of your Christian convictions. After such a bad beating, they were put in uncomfortable conditions (fastened their feet in the stocks). The Jewish religion was tolerated, but Jews were prohibited from proselytizing Romans. Cultivating joy in the Lord every day is not optional. Articles, monographs and books hosted on this site by Authors with Surnames beginning with O, P and Q 35When it was day, the magistrates sent the police with this message: 'Release those men!' i. Ephesus would come later, not now. The greatest blessing is His gift of salvation by His free grace. d. She begged us, saying, If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay. Immediately, Lydia set about doing good. No number of women would compensate for the absence of even one man necessary to make up the quorum of ten. (Bruce). Acts 16:11-15 Samothrace, Neapolis, Philippi. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. spirit of a pythoness_, or, according to superior authoriti EXPOSITION possessed with the devil, by whose inspiration she foretold future Dont be surprised! 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Timotheus] was probably of Lystra, not Derbe. He also wrote to the Philippians, Do all things without grumbling or disputing (Phil. Since they assumed Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens, they were offended that these obviously Jewish men harassed Roman citizens with their strange religion of a crucified Savior. Each of these two had their lives touched by Jesus in very different ways. nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. Because of Deuteronomy 23:1 (see also Leviticus 21:16-23) some assume that the eunuch would have been forbidden from doing in Jerusalem what Acts says he came to do: worship. It was not a mere point of honour that the apostle . (2 Corinthians 11:23), ii. Read Acts 16 again and ask God to reveal and emphasize truths from this chapter that He wants you to see. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. His captors smashed four of his vertebrae and either cut or burned 18 holes in his body, but they could not defeat him. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. Praise the Lord is not a nice suggestion; its a command! 2:14). Its still possible for a type of Macedonian Man to give an unusual call to serve God in a distant place. without expecting opposition. divin Acts 16:9. c. The magistrates have sent to let you go. First, he did the work of strengthening the churches through the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:40-41). Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. , _as we were going to the place of prayer_ (see on Also, if he wanted to come back again, he knew that they would not prevent him. Knowing this, Paul called with a loud voice, saying, Do yourself no harm, for we are all here. He assured the jailer that no one had escaped. i. You couldn't wait to get where you were going or do what you needed . 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Her masters made a lot of money from her power. (16) "_And it came to pass, And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Paul and Silas were not singing so that they could be good witnesses in this difficult situation. But pythona was a certain kind of snake a python. 39So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. 9:23), because the prisoners will be listening. pythonem. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. Maybe they thought that the beating and night in prison would send these guys packing, never to return. _And he came also _for _then came he, _A.V._ _and T.R. CONVERSION AND BAPTISM OF LYDIA. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. Being his Apostles, Paul and Silas exhibited a scene of Faith during their . gain by soothsaying: (17) The same followed Paul and us, and cr We now enter on the missionary journeys, as they are called, of the possessed with a spirit of (f) divination met us, which brought her But we will be treated wrongly, at work and at home. Acts 16:40, ESV: So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia.And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed. All doors seemed to be 2 All the believers in Lystra and Iconium said good things about Timothy. In this, Paul was like Jesus, who often told demons to be silent, even when they told the truth about Him (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 3:11-12). V. The casing of an evil spirit out of a damsel, ver 16-18. A with ABCD. Roman citizens had specific, zealously guarded civil rights. _Into the_ _proseucha_: Acts 16:13, and Luke 6:12. b. Lydia was a seller of purple: Anyone who was a seller of purple dealt in a valued, luxurious product. Mythology, by Apollo, who was hence called Pythius, and the priestess _as we went to prayer_ Better, AS WE WERE GOING TO THE PLACE OF a. His mother was a Jew who had become a believer in Jesus. Because God said no to Paul these two times, we have a gospel and a Book of Acts written by Doctor Luke. The real reason for the anger of the slave girls owners was that they had just been deprived of their source of income (16:19). i. TIPPER CAPACITY, 34" X 40" MAX DIE / MOLD AREA **Loading Fee Due the "ERRA" CARY SPECIALIZED SERVICES, INC. $200.00, prices valid until MARCH 16, 2023 SEE PRICING SPECIFICS** Auction Details BCS AIS - POSTPONED . The jailer then saw that all the prisoners were still there. It was actually reasonable for them to wonder when the rest of the New Covenant would be fulfilled. (Acts 16:14-15 RSV) The next step after the proclaiming of the Word of God -- the radical, revolutionary message of the gospel -- is always up to God. 1. There were at least two reasons. THE PRISON OF HIS PRAISES. As you know, when he later wrote to this Philippian church from a prison cell in Rome, the major theme of that letter was joy in the Lord in spite of our circumstances. The Waste Pro Southeast Florida Safety Trainer is responsible for ensuring all operational personnel are trained to company standards. Our responsibility in such difficult times is to trust and obey Him. This was an epoch-making moment, but how quietly it is recorded. gain by soothsaying: Now therefore depart, and go in peace, They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, They came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city, When they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them, Copyright - Enduring Word       |      . And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes: The same jailer who had punished them now cared for Paul and Silas, caring for their wounds and he set food before them. If Paul and Silas had been having a pity party because their rights had been violated and they had been treated wrongly when they were just trying to serve the Lord, they would have been depressed and complaining. This girl had brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. I think that if they were offering any petitions mixed in with their praise, it would have been, Lord, use this situation for the greater furtherance of the gospel. Paul and Silas knew that God could have prevented them from being beaten and thrown in prison in the first place, but He did not do so. Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2001, All Rights Reserved. As well, the multitude and the magistrates felt free to abuse Paul and Silas because they assumed they were not Roman citizens. change in the fortunes of Paul and Silas. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, Let those men go. So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, The magistrates have sent to let you go. William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia, but God sent him to India. 34The jailer then brought Paul and Silas up into his house, and set food before them. We're also studying 1 Corinthians 1:26-30, an entirely different text, which seems to have been chosen as the capstone of our five weeks of thinking about women in the New Testament. New International Version. 19Now when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them to the marketplace to face the rulers. (Acts 16:16-19). Timothy lived there. Luke reported that the group went for prayer, possibly daily. Articles, monographs and books hosted on this site by Authors with Surnames beginning with B d. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison: After being severely beaten, Paul and Silas were imprisoned in maximum-security conditions (commanding the jailer to keep them securely the inner prison fastened their feet in the stocks). And they went out, &c. The servants of Christ, being honourably cleared from every crime by this public release, left the prison quietly, and went to the house of Lydia With whom they had lodged before; and when they had seen the brethren The disciples whom they had made; they comforted them By rehearsing what God had done both for them and by them, in prison; and . Romans were exempt from public beatings. SPIRIT OF DIVINATION; an evil spirit, under the influence of which she change in the fortunes of Paul and Silas. They would have missed this great opportunity for witness. So the magistrates came begging to Paul and Silas. This Their pure, upright life, deep faith and devotion to God, their gentleness and their wonderful manliness, became a shining example of life for thousands (in Christianity Today [6/21/74]). As well, this may have even been the same guard who beat them a few hours earlier. (Acts 16:25-28). (Witham) --- A divining spirit, which pretended to foretell things to A fortune-telling female slave, who brought much money to her owners Acts 16:30-34 What must I do to be Saved? Either the quake or Gods miraculous power loosed all of the prisoners chains. According to the estimate of William Barclay, the first missionary journey finished about five years before the events of this chapter. Waste Pro State LocationWaste Pro of Florida. Perhaps he even came as Pauls personal doctor. _Vulg_. important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. Timothy AS WE WENT TO PRAYER. She followed Paul and Silas saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. The Macedonian man wanted help. Development structures variation and, consequently, the ways in which a population can respond to selection (1-4).The direction with the greatest amount of variation is termed the "line of least resistance" (LLR) (5-7).The LLR represents the direction of greatest potential for evolutionary change because it contains the . There was certainly nothing wrong with Pauls desire to preach the word in Asia; but it wasnt Gods timing, so this was forbidden by the Holy Spirit. Acts 16:16. c. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily: Paul, Silas, and Timothy together enjoyed great success in their work of strengthening and growing churches. These verses describe Paul's experiences and work with Silas in Philippi, including the conversion of the Philippianjailer. i. Bruce translates the phrase, It came out there and then. If Paul wished to maintain his links with the synagogue, he could not be seen to countenance apostasy. (Bruce). A precise commentary on acts 16 16 34 can boost your faith and strengthen your walk with Jesus Christ. The words, literally, are as in the margin, a spirit of Python, or, as These stocks had more than two holes for legs, which could thus be forced apart in a such a way as to cause the utmost discomfort and cramping pain. (Bruce), iii. i. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.. Not many of us will ever go through what Christians in communist prisons had to endure. . They trusted that He had another purpose in mind, and so He did, namely, the conversion of the jailer and his family. b. Strong churches will naturally increase in number daily, without relying on man-centered and manipulative methods. But to them, the lives of others were more important than their own personal freedom and comfort. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. WENT TO PRAYER; went towards the place where their public prayers were In Derbe and Lystra again. The guard had a remarkable sign an earthquake, but all Lydia had was the move of the Holy Spirit in her heart. As a result of the numerous miracles performed through Paul and Peter, the church grows daily. her supernatural abilities. She followed Paul and Silas saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." We have four men who are under a vow. They tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them: After the attempt to go to Asia, Paul sought to go north into Bithynia, but was again prevented by the Holy Spirit. God wanted Paul and his team to go to Troas and pick up a doctor named Luke. Acts 16:14 And, in addition to these common trials, we can expect even more trials because we are Christians. IN T _A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination._ Paul later wrote of his life: In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. They were biased because of their Jewish appearance, and because they assumed Paul and Silas were not Roman citizens. Here begins the account of Pads second journey. _praes. | Next Their charges were vague, simply accusing Paul and Silas of being troublemakers. Studying the book of Acts 16; shows a significant summary of the history, time and relevant details according to the bible's acts based onBenson Joseph - Bible Commentary and reading parallely the bible's version Legacy Standard Bible. Yet, Paul did not contradict his belief or the findings of the council when he had Timothy circumcised. 2. Then he brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household. They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. They have violated our rights as Roman citizens. provided that they should be delivered by both Barnabas and Paul, By Dr. Philip W. McLarty. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, 'Don't harm yourself: we are all here!' Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him to . i. Jewish legal tradition gave a maximum number of blows that could be delivered when beating a person, but the Romans had no such limit. Like the children of Israel in the wilderness, they think that they would be happier back in slavery in Egypt than to be with God and His provision in the wilderness. CONTENTS: Paul finds Timothy. The crowd rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore the clothes off Paul and Silas, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. Acts 16:1-15. Luke relates this history,plainly implies that he considered it as a D2 E H L P most m Verse Acts 16:16. They came and pleaded with them and brought them out, and asked them to depart from the city: The magistrates acted as politicians often act by instinct. VII. damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. He wrote, We exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom. The solution will come, as I said, when the races regard the Jewish problem as a humanitarian problem but also when the Jew does his share of understanding, love and right action. Both heard the gospel and believed, and through each of them their whole families were touched! closing to him as in one way or another he was first hindered from 2. the servants of the Most High God, (10) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel Non-citizens had no civil rights, and were subject to the whims of both the multitude and the magistrates. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. But Paul, greatly annoyed: Paul was greatly annoyed, and he did not appreciate the free advertising from the demon. Ministry at Philippi (Acts 16:12-40) The conversion of Lydia (Acts 16:12-15) The demon possessed slave girl (Acts 16:16-18) The imprisonment of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:19-25) The release of Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26-27) The conversion of the jailor (Acts 16:28-34) The departure from the city (Acts 16:35-40) The ministry in Thessalonica (Acts . First, there were the false accusations. c. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul: Before Lydia was converted (as demonstrated by her baptism), the Lord opened her heart. Luke notes that the prisoners were listening to them (16:25). This Week: John 17:20-26. The demon inside the girl kept shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved" (16:17). The Preaching forbidden in Asia (Acts 16:6). Yet the Spirit of God directed this work, and Paul wasnt the right person in the right place at the right time to begin bringing the gospel to the Roman Province of Asia Minor. a. POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION MET US, WHO BROUGHT HER MASTERS Second, Paul was concerned about the future of the church and the gospel in Philippi. OUTLINE I. TIMOTHY JOINS PAUL AND SILAS (1-5) A. TIMOTHY'S BACKGROUND (1-3) 1. About midnight they were singing and praying in the hearing of the other prisoners. His action in the circumcision of Timothy is startling in Greek. prayer, R.V. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. Now, again on his way to the place of prayer, Paul meets another woman. TO PRAYER; the place of prayer. (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. The term emphasizes His omnipotence and sovereignty. b. i. Luke was a Gentile, and Timothy was only half Jewish. The magistrates were sufficiently humbled, and the public at large, hearing of this circumstance, must be satisfied of the innocency of the apostles. 1:20). _for _Lystra, _A.V._; Timothy _for _Timotheus, _A.V._; of a Jewess When they had brought them out of the prison, they continued pleading with them to leave the city.